


It's Different

by BigBadLittleRed



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Multi, Protective Eliot Waugh, oblivious Quentin, post 3x11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 07:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14100348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigBadLittleRed/pseuds/BigBadLittleRed
Summary: Things are different in timeline 40 than in 23, but maybe not in the way they realize.





	It's Different

Quentin stands up the second a portal opens, watching a young woman race through with a wicked grin on her face. Josh leans in after her, shooting Quentin a friendly smile and waving.

 

“Uh, what…” He points to the woman, who is already staring out the porthole of the Muntjac with wonder.

 

“Her name’s Marina, just go with it. I’ll be back.” He slips back through the portal, and a moment later, returns with Julia and… Penny?

 

“Penny?” Quentin’s eyes widen at the sight of him, stepping forward and feeling almost relieved. He had missed Penny, even if he was kind of a dick, it was sad not having him around.

 

“You pompous little prick,” Penny spits, Quentin leans back and narrowly avoids a punch to the face.

 

“Penny!” Julia snaps, Quentin scatters over to the stairs, racing up them on his hands and feet with Penny scrambling after him.

 

“Eliot!” He shouts as soon as he reaches the deck, racing around towards the bow. “Margo!” He watches the two turn, looking confused and concerned. Quentin ducks underneath Eliot’s arm and hides behind him, just as Penny reaches them.

 

“What the fuck?” Eliot reaches a hand out to push against his chest, and when Penny tries to get around him, Quentin shifts behind Margo.

 

“I oughta fucking kill you, you little virgin!” Penny hisses, tries to push Eliot out of the way only to get decked in the face by the taller man.

 

“Not in our house, cunt.” Margo says, reaching back and wrapping her hand in Quentin’s. “You all right, cutie?” She smirks, Quentin shrugs and nods his head, looking embarrassed.

 

“Eliot, you…” Quentin nods to Penny, who’s currently trying to get off the ground with blood dribbling from his nose.

 

“I was an obviously gay kid in a hick town, you learn to throw a punch in a situation like that.” Eliot shrugs, shaking out his hand with a tired sigh. “Come to daddy, Q.” He says with a small smirk, Quentin rolls his eyes but approaches so that Eliot can pull him into a hug.

 

“I tried to uh… Stop him.” Julia sighs as she approaches, Marina close behind her. They help Penny up, who wipes the blood from his upper lip. “His version of Q got me killed, and timeline twenty-three Quentin turned into the Beast.” She explains quietly, Quentin pulls back from Eliot with a frown.

 

“Our little Quentin? The Beast?” Eliot snorts, Margo grins lazily as she leans against the rails of the boat.

 

“I could be!” Quentin insists, Margo makes a noise like the young man was an angry puppy trying to nip at something.

 

“Of course, honey.” She says placatingly, reaching out and pushing a lock of his hair behind his ear. “Just don’t strain your skinny little arms trying to gouge eyes out.” She looks to Eliot, who tips his head back to laugh.

 

“You two suck,” Quentin’s hiding a smile as he leans into Eliot’s back, burying his face in the man’s side and allowing the older man to wrap an arm around him.

 

“It’s not him, Penny.” Julia insists as the man leans against the rails, keeping his distance from Margo, Eliot, and Quentin with a glare.

 

“It is, though… Just different circumstances, you know? Same nerd, same idiot, same person who got my Julia killed.” He says quietly, Marina approaches, stopping next to Julia with a wary look at Quentin.

 

“You killed a lot of magicians in our timeline,” She tells him, Quentin frowns and breathes out quietly.

 

“I-I’m sorry?” He looks to Margo, then up at Eliot, who both roll their eyes and shrug respectively. “Why would I do that?” He asks softly.

 

“Because you got your shade ripped out, and after we contacted 23 Alice, she found a way to bring you back. You were shadeless, you declared your love for Fillory and became the Beast, you… sympathized with Martin, I guess.” Julia can’t quite meet his eyes, Quentin swallows and looks down at his hands.

 

“I understand why Martin was the way he was, but that’s not an excuse.” He says, then reaches up to take hold of Eliot’s arm protectively wrapped around his front.

 

“So what, you three are together here?” Penny asks, prodding at his nose.

 

“Together?” Eliot repeats, just as Quentin says “Who?” and Margo snorts quietly.

 

“No, th-they’re not…” Julia says, and then frowns just a little and looks at Quentin. “Are you?”

 

“No, we’re just…” He looks to Margo for help, the woman simply shrugs and grins at him.

 

“Call me what you want, baby, but this ain’t no casual thing.” She says teasingly, Eliot laughs quietly and Quentin blushes to the tips of his ears.

 

“Soulmates, life partners, three pieces of a puzzle…” Eliot offers.

 

“A very sexy puzzle,” Margo adds with a nod to Eliot, then tips her head as if deciding otherwise. “Partially sexy, Q’s more cute than anything else.”

 

“Hey!” Quentin stomps his foot, Eliot leans over to kiss his head.

 

“Don’t upset him, Bambi, he’s sensitive.” Eliot mocks, Quentin huffs and leans into his embrace, but says nothing.

 

“Man, how did I miss that?” Josh says from nearby, having kept his distance during the fight.

 

“I think I missed it too,” Quentin offers, Margo approaches him and leans against his side without hesitation.

 

“You miss a lot, honey, you’re a little clueless.” She tells him, Quentin frowns.

 

“You two are mean, why am I with you?” He demands jokingly, amusement quirking at his lips.

 

“Because you love us,” Eliot wraps his arm around Quentin’s throat and applies a non-threatening pressure, Quentin hums with a nod.

 

“All right, we got anything to drink? I’m too sober for this.” Penny grumbles, storming off.

 

“Agreed,” Josh says with a wave of his hand, and the others follow, leaving the trio on the deck together.

 

“So we’re all in agreement that we’re the thrupple of the century?” Margo says after a moment, Quentin pulls her into a kiss, smiling against her lips. “Oh see, I have been missing out on this.” She buries her fingers in his hair and kisses him again.

 

“So have I…” Eliot turns Quentin’s head forcefully when the woman pulls away, pressing their lips together gently.

 

“I’m in Fillory, kissing the hottest people on the planet, on a flying boat.” Quentin says with a grin, Eliot rolls his eyes fondly.

 

“Talk about a nerdgasm.” Margo giggles.


End file.
